Laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube: odynophagia and dysfhonia incidence under general anesthesia at the University Hospital San Vicente de Paúl, Medellín, 2000

Abstract

We describe the odynophagia and dysphonia incidence after the use of either laryngeal mask (LM) or endotracheal tube (ETT) in adult patients submitted to elective surgery, under general anesthesia, at the University Hospital San Vicente of Paul, Medellín, Colombia, between February 14 and March 16 of 2000. A descriptive and prospective study was carried out in 63 patients, in which the global incidence of odynophagia was 15.9% and that of dysphonia 12.5%; there was a higher odynophagia incidence with the use of ETT, 37.5%, than with LM, 2.6%. The dysphonia incidence was also higher with the use of the TET (25%) than with LM (5.1%). The odynophagia incidence was higher in women (19.1%) than in men (6.2%). Dysphonia was also more frequent in women (14.8%) than in men (6.2%). Accordingly, we can conclude that odynophagia and dysphonia incidences are lower in men, when the time of anesthesia is two hours or less and when LM is used. More studies are necessary to carry out a comparative analysis of the complications with the use of LM and ETT, in order to offer the safest and more effective technique for insuring the airway.